Norfolk to host island conservation symposium

Norfolk Island National Park, with the Australian Islands Alliance and the Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society, is hosting the Island Arks Symposium IX from 30 November to 2 December 2026.

Held every two years, the Island Arks Symposium is the leading forum connecting island stewards across the Australia-Pacific region and beyond, enabling knowledge-sharing and partnerships that advance holistic conservation approaches that integrate culture and community.

Designed as relaxed, in-person events, land managers, scientists, community representatives, First Nations Peoples, and policymakers come together to discuss the cultural heritage management, conservation and sustainable development challenges affecting our islands.

The theme of the 2026 Island Arks Symposium is Ridge to Reef: Sustaining Biodiversity, Culture and Connection.

Abstracts for presentations or proposals for workshops are invited across the following themes, all within an island context: 

• practical advances in climate adaptation/resilience 
• innovation in conservation and invasive species management (including learning from 'failures') 
• drivers of restoration and translocation success 
• the marine environment in an island context 
• Indigenous stewardship of land and sea 
• community initiatives and citizen science 
• working together: cross-sector partnerships and governance 
• sustainable finance and development, including ecotourism.

Submissions close at COB on Monday 18 May.

Registrations are now open, with early-bird discounts available until 31 July.

Please note that flights to Norfolk Island fill quickly, so if you are interested in attending the symposium, it is best to book your travel early.

Learn more at: Island Arks Symposium IX